Media CenterCRS Welcomes Temporary Pause in Fighting in Gaza but Renews Calls for End to Violence
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Megan Gilbert
Catholic Relief Services
[email protected]
(410) 271-8732
BALTIMORE, MD, November 28, 2023 – Catholic Relief Services (CRS) issued the following statement on the temporary pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Catholic Relief Services welcomes the temporary pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas after seven weeks of conflict in Gaza and the loss of many lives. We appreciate the work of the U.S. and other governments in negotiating this. We are glad to see that hostages have been released and that additional aid is starting to reach Gazans.
CRS has emergency shelter supplies ready to move cross-border. Procurement is underway for additional shelter, bedding, hygiene supplies and food. Since the war began, CRS has provided market-based assistance allowing 18,000 families to meet immediate food and other needs, and bedding for 600 families. CRS will expand efforts to assist Gazans, which requires greater safe and unimpeded humanitarian access into and across Gaza, as well as a robust daily fuel supply.
We pray that the pause in fighting is a first step towards ending the violence and bringing relief to the more than 2.3 million people who have suffered through daily bombardments, displacement and the loss of loved ones. A temporary stop to fighting is not enough. Far too many lives have been lost. We reiterate Bishop David J. Malloy, the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace’s call for the cessation of violence. And in the words of Pope Francis, “Let us pray for the Palestinian people; let us pray for the Israeli people, so that peace may come."
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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. For more information, visit www.crs.org or www.crsespanol.org and follow Catholic Relief Services on social media in English at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube; and in Spanish at: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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